From the Windup: Top 50 Free Agents

From the Windup is FanHouse's extended look at a particular portion of America's pastime.

Free agency has been open for nearly a week, but save the odd signing of Jeremy Affeldt and the expected re-signing of Ryan Dempster, it's gotten off to a relatively quiet start. That's to be expected. The Hot Stove won't get truly scalding until next month when the Winter Meetings convene in Las Vegas.

In the meantime, I've put together a Top 50 list of the best players on the market. There are three Japanese players, three White Sox, five Dodgers, five Diamondbacks and even two Nationals on the list.

In the end, the toughest choice might have been at the No. 1 spot. It's rare to have a hitter and pitcher as good as Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia in the same class. Ultimately, I gave the nod to Teixeira because a first baseman with his skills is less of a risk than pretty much any pitcher going forward.

Below is the full list. Feel free to sound off in the comments with your own thoughts on this year's deep and exceptional class.

Top 50 Free Agents

1. Mark Teixeira, 1B | Age: 28 | Bats: Switch | Status: Free agent
2008 Statistics: .308 AVG, 33 HR, 121 RBI, .410 OBP, .632 SLG, 2 SB
The Skinny: Teixeira is a wonderful player with no holes in his game. He has a discerning eye and a powerful stroke from both sides of the plate. On top of it all, he's a terrific defender, and he's just entering his prime.

Elsa, Getty Images

2. CC Sabathia, SP | Age: 28 | Throws: Left | Status: Free agent
2008 Statistics: 17-10 W-L, 2.70 ERA, 253 IP, 251 SO, 59 BB
The Skinny: The 2007 AL Cy Young winner is a true rarity -- a power left-hander. He gets his fastball into the mid-90s and is a bona fide horse at the top of the rotation, having never thrown fewer than 180 innings in a year.

Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

3. Manny Ramirez, LF | Age: 36 | Bats: Right | Status: Free agent
2008 Statistics: .332 AVG, 37 HR, 121 RBI, .430 OBP, .601 SLG, 3 SB
The Skinny: Ramirez is merely one of the best hitters ever, even as he closes in on age 40. He has little defensive value, and, as the Red Sox know too well, doesn't always give 100 percent, but his bat makes up for it.

Mike Ehrmann, Getty Images

4. Derek Lowe, SP | Age: 35 | Throws: Right | Status: Free agent
2008 Statistics: 14-11 W-L, 3.24 ERA, 211 IP, 147 SO, 45 BB
The Skinny: Lowe is a step down from Sabathia -- a legitmate No. 2 starter rather than an ace. He uses his signature sinker to generate ground balls and eat innings like few other pitchers on the market.

Gene J. Puskar, Pool / AP

5. A.J. Burnett, SP | Age: 31 | Throws: Right | Status: Free agent
2008 Statistics: 18-10 W-L, 4.07 ERA, 221 1/3 IP, 231 SO, 86 BB
The Skinny: Burnett has the best pure stuff of any pitcher available, with a mid-90s fastball and a knee-buckling curve. Only durability concerns -- he's often struggled to stay healthy -- keep him from ranking higher.

Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

6. Rafael Furcal, SS | Age: 31 | Bats: Switch | Status: Free agent
2008 Statistics: .357 AVG, 5 HR, 16 RBI, .439 OBP, .573 SLG, 8 SB
The Skinny: Furcal is an elite middle infielder and a legitimate table-setter at the top of the lineup. He has above-average plate discipline and pop for his position and is an excellent defender, with a good throwing arm.

Mark J. Terrill, AP

7. Adam Dunn, LF | Age: 29 | Bats: Left | Status: Free agent
2008 Statistics: .236 AVG, 40 HR, 100 RBI, .386 OBP, .513 SLG, 2 SB
The Skinny: It's all too easy to focus on what Dunn can't do. No, he'll never hit for average, but it's hard to find such consistency from a power hitter. He's hit 40 home runs in each of the last four seasons.

Lisa Blumenfeld, Getty Images

8. Milton Bradley, DH | Age: 30 | Bats: Switch | Status: Free agent
2008 Statistics: .321 AVG, 22 HR, 77 RBI, .436 OBP, .563 SLG, 5 SB
The Skinny: Once known only as a malcontent, Bradley stayed out of trouble in Texas this year and blossomed as a hitter. He's a bit on the fragile side, and as such will probably be limited to DHing for a team with depth.

Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images

9. Oliver Perez, SP | Age: 27 | Throws: Left | Status: Free agent
2008 Statistics: 10-7 W-L, 4.22 ERA, 194 IP, 180 SO, 105 BB
The Skinny: Effectively wild might be the best way to describe Perez, who has excellent stuff, but often struggles to harness it. The southpaw is a mid-rotation starter capable of stretches of dominance when his control is on.

Nick Laham, Getty Images

10. Ryan Dempster, SP | Age: 31 | Throws: Right | Status: Signed with Cubs
2008 Statistics: 17-6 W-L, 2.96 ERA, 206 2/3 IP, 187 SO, 76 BB
The Skinny: Dempster transitioned back to starting better than anyone could have imagined in 2008. He's a cheaper alternative to Burnett, but, with solid peripheral numbers, is a viable No. 2 or No. 3 on a contender.

Jamie Squire, Getty Images

Resources: Keith Law | Jeff Passan | BB-Ref | Baseball Prospectus | Cot's